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Definition of stimulus noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

stimulus

noun
 
/ˈstɪmjələs/
 
/ˈstɪmjələs/
(plural stimuli
 
/ˈstɪmjəlaɪ/
 
/ˈstɪmjəlaɪ/
)
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  1. [usually singular] something that helps somebody/something to develop better or more quickly
    • stimulus for something Books provide children with ideas and a stimulus for play.
    • stimulus to something The new tax laws should act as a stimulus to exports.
    • stimulus (for somebody) (to do something) This development also acted as a stimulus for Britain to modernize her air force.
    Extra Examples
    • Congress passed the President's economic stimulus package.
    • The initial stimulus came from a letter in the newspaper.
    • He stressed the value of public investment as a stimulus to growth.
    • The research provided the stimulus for improvements in public libraries.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • great
    • major
    • powerful
    verb + stimulus
    • act as
    • give
    • provide
    stimulus + verb
    • come from something
    stimulus + noun
    • bill
    • package
    • plan
    preposition
    • stimulus for
    • stimulus to
    phrases
    • a response to a stimulus
    See full entry
  2. something that produces a reaction in a human, an animal or a plant
    • sensory/verbal/visual stimuli
    • The animals were conditioned to respond to auditory stimuli (= sounds).
    Extra Examples
    • plant growth responses to environmental stimuli
    • The pupils dilate in response to chemical stimuli.
    • The very act of lying down in bed should provide a strong stimulus for sleep.
    • a response to a stimulus
    Topics Biologyc1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • great
    • major
    • powerful
    verb + stimulus
    • act as
    • give
    • provide
    stimulus + verb
    • come from something
    stimulus + noun
    • bill
    • package
    • plan
    preposition
    • stimulus for
    • stimulus to
    phrases
    • a response to a stimulus
    See full entry
  3. Word Originlate 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘goad, spur, incentive’.
See stimulus in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee stimulus in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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